Airbags are a common safety device used in automobiles to prevent injury to the vehicle passengers when an accident occurs. Typically, airbags are integrated into the steering wheel or the dashboard and deploy when the vehicle is in a collision; if the vehicle is hit head-on, the momentum of the driver and passenger will be absorbed by the airbag, and the driver and passenger will avoid hitting the steering wheel and dashboard, respectively.
As technology has developed, airbags are also being used in other areas of the vehicle besides the steering wheel and dashboard. It has become commonplace for airbags to be used in door panels and overhead panels in the interior of the vehicle.
When the airbag is installed in the vehicle, it is placed in an area that will provide a minimal amount of interference with the use of the vehicle because the airbag is only necessary when there is a collision. It is common for aesthetic reasons for the airbag to be covered by a panel that follows a similar contour to, for example, the rest of the instrument panel of the vehicle and is similar in color. The modern trend with airbags is to have a seamless panel covering the airbag so as to disguise the location of the airbag completely. The airbag is typically located in a chute, and a door behind the panel aids in holding the airbag in place. It is important to prevent any panels or breakaway structures from being propelled toward the driver or passengers when deployed.
The processes of either the heat-staking or vibration welding are expensive, both in capital and required labor costs. Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved assembly of a plastic airbag door in an instrument panel.